The present invention relates to a time lapse recording/reproducing device, in which a continuous recording and an intermittent recording can be performed simultaneously by combining two record media and, upon receiving a trigger signal inputted from outside, information of the scenes before and after the receipt of the trigger signal can be stored as moving pictures.
In a business utilizing a video system, a tape type time lapse recording/reproducing device using a VHS video tape has been generally employed. With the NTSC system, an ordinary home magnetic recording/reproducing device (VTR) has a function of recording/reproducing only moving pictures formed of 30 frames per second. In contrast, a time lapse recording/reproducing device can handle not only a recording of moving pictures but also a recording mode relatively close to a moving video picture formed of several frames per second to a recording mode of one frame for every few seconds or one frame for every few minutes. (The recording operation except for the above recording of moving pictures is referred to as an intermittent recording hereafter.) When the video images recorded according to the foregoing intermittent recording are reproduced, the resulting video images look like jerky ones with frame-by-frame advance. Conversely, however, one reel of tape can record video images for tens to hundreds of hours, thus making it possible to record video images for long hours.
Because of this feature, a time lapse recording/reproducing device is widely used in banks, post offices, convenient stores and the like for a security purpose, and also in railway stations, street intersections and the like for watching and studying the movement of humans and vehicles. Particularly, demands from the security industry for the time lapse recording/reproducing device are high.
The time lapse recording/reproducing device uses the same reel of tape repeatedly while performing an intermittent recording in normal times. When the end of the reel of tape is reached in video image recording, the reel of tape is automatically rewound to the beginning of tape and the recording process is resumed. As a result, video images can be stored on the tape for tens to hundreds of hours going back to the past from the present time although the video images are intermittent.
One of the functions required of a time lapse recording/reproducing device for the security industry is provision for an alarm input signal tapped off from an external trigger terminal. There will be no particular problems as long as video images are recorded intermittently under normal circumstances. However, when an emergency situation such as a burglary and the like occurs, it is most desirable to record the scene in question in detail. In order to cope with this requirement, many time lapse recording/reproducing devices are provided with an external input terminal and when a trigger signal is inputted to an alarm terminal of the external input terminal, the intermittent recording is automatically switched to a recording of moving pictures. The alarm input signal to be inputted to the alarm terminal is usually linked to an emergency bell, alarm button and the like.
The time lapse recording/reproducing device as described in the above, however, has problems as follows: Since a moving picture recording takes place after an alarm signal has been inputted, the moving pictures of the scenes in question are recorded in detail thereafter, but the scenes before the alarm signal is inputted remain as the video images recorded intermittently. It is needless to say that, if moving pictures before the alarm signal are available, the recorded moving pictures contribute greatly to the solution of an incident and the like. However, this is usually impractical since there is no telling when an alarm signal will be inputted. Furthermore, when an alarm signal is inputted, the reel of tape might be near the end of the reel or the reel might be in the process of rewinding. In these cases, the tape might be ended soon after the recording is switched to a moving picture recording or the recording is not performed at all or the like, thus resulting in a serious problem.
The present invention deals with the foregoing problems and provides a time lapse recording/reproducing device improved in such a way that, while performing a normal intermittent video image recording, once an alarm signal as described in the above is inputted, moving pictures of the scenes before and after the alarm signal is inputted are reliably recorded.
In resolving the problems as described in the above, a time lapse recording/reproducing device of the present invention is provided with:
a picture compression/expansion unit with a means for applying an intra frame picture compression/expansion process to a video signal inputted from a video surveillance camera and the like;
a first recording/reproducing unit using a disk like record medium and a second recording/reproducing unit using a record medium that enables the recording for a longer period than the record medium used in the first recording/reproducing unit both being connected with the foregoing picture compression/expansion unit;
a recording control unit to perform controlling by giving directions that a signal outputted and fed from the foregoing picture compression/expansion unit is to be recorded on the record medium of the foregoing first recording/reproducing unit as a moving picture and at the same time to be recorded intermittently on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit frame by frame; and
an alarm signal generator to feed an alarm signal to the recording control unit, in which, upon feeding an alarm signal from the alarm signal generator, the recording control unit performs controlling by giving directions that the signal fed from the picture compression/expansion unit is to be recorded on the record medium of the first recording/reproducing unit for the duration from the time when the alarm signal was received to a predetermined time and then the recording operation is to be ended.
According to the present invention, a time lapse recording/reproducing device with a new function can be realized, the new function being the capabilities of recording moving pictures of the scenes just before and after an alarm signal is inputted and also performing an intermittent recording for a long period.
In one embodiment the present invention is a time lapse recording/reproducing device provided with:
an input/output circuit to input/output a video signal;
a picture compression/expansion unit with a means for applying an intra-frame picture compression/expansion process to a video signal inputted via the foregoing input/output circuit;
a first recording/reproducing unit using a disk like record medium and a second recording/reproducing unit using a record medium that enables the recording for a longer period than the above record medium, both being connected with the foregoing picture compression/expansion unit;
a recording control unit to perform controlling by giving directions that a signal fed from the picture compression/expansion unit is to be recorded on the record medium of the first recording/reproducing unit as a moving picture and at the same time to be recorded intermittently on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit; and an alarm signal generator to feed an alarm signal to the recording control unit, in which, upon feeding an alarm signal from the alarm signal generator, the recording control unit performs controlling by giving directions that the signal fed from the picture compression/expansion unit is to be recorded on the record medium of the first recording/reproducing unit for the duration from the time when the alarm signal was received to a predetermined time and then the recording operation is to be ended, thereby making it possible to realize a time lapse recording/reproducing device with a new function of recording moving pictures of the scenes just before and after an alarm signal is inputted and also performing an intermittent recording for a long period.
In another embodiment the present invention is a time lapse recording device provided with:
an input circuit to input a video signal;
a picture compression unit with a means for applying an intra-frame picture compression process to a video signal inputted via the foregoing input circuit;
a first recording/reproducing unit using a disk like record medium and a second recording/reproducing unit using a record medium that enables the recording for a longer period than the above record medium, both being connected with the foregoing picture compression unit;
a recording control unit to perform controlling by giving directions that a signal fed from the foregoing picture compression unit is to be recorded on the record medium of the first recording/reproducing unit as a moving picture and at the same time to be recorded intermittently on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit; and
an alarm signal generator to feed an alarm signal to the recording control unit, in which, upon feeding an alarm signal from the alarm signal generator, the recording control unit performs controlling by giving directions that the signal fed from the picture compression unit is to be recorded on the record medium of the first recording/reproducing unit for the duration from the time when the alarm signal was received to a predetermined tirre and then the recording operation is to be ended, thereby making it possible to realize a time lapse recording device with a new function of recording moving pictures of the scenes just before and after an alarm signal is inputted and also performing an intermittent recording for a long period in the same way as the invention described in the prior embodiment.
In a variation of the prior embodiment, the invention is the time lapse recording/reproducing device, in which the picture compression/expansion unit is a picture compression/expansion unit of JPEG (Joint Photographic coding Experts Group) system and a video signal put through a picture compression process according to the JPEG system is recorded on each respective record medium of the foregoing first recording/reproducing unit and second recording/reproducing unit.
In another variation of the prior embodiment, the invention is the time lapse recording/reproducing, in which the picture compression/expansion unit is a picture compression/expansion unit of MPEG (Moving Picture coding Experts Group) system and a video signal put through a picture compression process according to the MPEG system is recorded on each respective record medium of the foregoing first recording/reproducing unit and second recording/reproducing unit.
In a variation of the second embodiment identified above, the invention is the time lapse recording device, in which the picture compression unit is a picture compression unit of JPEG system and a video signal put through a picture compression process according to the JPEG system is recorded on each respective record medium of the foregoing first recording/reproducing unit and second recording/reproducing unit.
In another variation of the second embodiment identified above, the invention is the time lapse recording device, in which the picture compression unit is a picture compression unit of MPEG system and a video signal put through a picture compression process according to the MPEG system is recorded on each respective record medium of the foregoing first recording/reproducing unit and second recording/reproducing unit.
In another variation, the invention is the time lapse recording/reproducing device as described in the first embodiment or the time lapse recording device as described in the second embodiment, in which the foregoing first recording/reproducing unit uses a hard disk drive employing rigid platters as the record medium, thereby making it possible to perform a continuous recording almost without interruption to gain moving pictures by utiilizing the high speed accessibility.
In yet another variation, the invention is a time lapse recording/reproducing device in accordance with the foregoing embodiments, in which the foregoing second recording/reproducing unit uses an optical disk drive employing an optical disk as the record medium, thereby realizing an intermittent video image recording for a long period.
In yet another variation, the invention is a time lapse recording/reproducing device in accordance with the foregoing embodiments, in which the foregoing second recording/reproducing unit uses a video tape recorder employing a video tape as the record medium, thereby realizing an intermittent video image recording for a long period.
In yet another variation, the invention is a time lapse recording/reproducing device in accordance with the foregoing embodiments, in which the foregoing recording control unit performs controlling by giving directions that a one frame portion of the signal fed from the picture compression/expansion unit to the second recording/reproducing unit is to be recorded on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit for every periodicity or every time interval corresponding to an integral multiple of the periodicity of the frame synchronization signal fed to the recording control unit, thereby making it possible to perform an intermittent recording on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit.
In yet another variation, the invention is a time lapse recording device in accordance with the foregoing embodiments, in which the foregoing recording control unit performs controlling by giving directions that a one frame portion of the signal fed from the picture compression/expansion unit to the second recording/reproducing unit is to be recorded on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit for every periodicity or every time interval corresponding to an integral multiple of the periodicity of the frame synchronization signal fed to the recording control unit,.thereby making it possible to perform an intermittent recording on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit.
In yet another variation, the invention is a time lapse recording/reproducing device in accordance with the foregoing embodiments, in which the foregoing recording control unit performs controlling by giving directions that the number of arrivals of the frame signal fed to the recording control unit is to be counted and, when the arrival count has reached a predetermined number, a one frame portion of the signal fed from the picture compression/expansion unit to the second recording/reproducing unit is to be recorded on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit, thereby making it possible to perform an intermittent recording on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit.
In yet another variation, the invention is a time lapse recording device in accordance with the foregoing embodiment, in which the foregoing recording control unit performs controlling by giving directions that the number of arrivals of the frame signal fed to the recording control unit is to be counted and, when the arrival count has reached a predetermined number, a one frame portion of the signal fed from the picture compression/expansion unit to the second recording/reproducing unit is to be recorded on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit, thereby making it possible to perform an intermittent recording on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit.
In yet another variation, the invention is the time lapse recording/reproducing device in accordance with the foregoing embodiments, in which the foregoing recording control unit performs controlling by giving directions that, according to the output timing information of I frame fed from the picture compression/expansion unit of MPEG system to the recording control unit, the signal of I frame out of the signals fed from the picture compression/expansion unit of MPEG system to the second recording/reproducing unit is to be recorded on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit for every periodicity or for every time interval corresponding to an integral multiple of the periodicity, with which the signal of I frame is arranged, thereby making it possible to perform an intermittent recording on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit.
In yet another variation, the invention as described is a time lapse recording device in accordance with the foregoing embodiments, in which the foregoing recording control unit performs controlling by giving directions that, according to the output timing information of I frame fed from the picture compression unit of MPEG system to the recording control unit, the signal of I frame out of the signals fed from the picture compression unit of MPEG system to the second recording/reproducing unit is to be recorded on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit for every periodicity or for every time interval corresponding to an integral multiple of the periodicity, with which the signal of I frame is arranged, thereby making It possible to perform an intermittent recording on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit.
In yet another embodiment, the invention is a time lapse recording/reproducing device in accordance with the foregoing embodiments, in which the foregoing recording control unit performs controlling by giving directions that, according to the output timing information of I frame fed from the picture compression/expansion unit of MPEG system to the recording control unit, the signal of I frame only out of the signals fed from the picture compression/expansion unit of MPEG system to the second recording/reproducing unit is to be recorded on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit for every time when the arrival count of I frame has reached a predetermined number, thereby making it possible to perform an intermittent recording on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit.
In yet another embodiment, the invention is a time lapse recording device in accordance with the foregoing embodiments, in which the foregoing recording control unit performs controlling by giving directions that, according to the output timing information of I frame fed from the picture compression/expansion unit of MPEG system to the recording control unit, the signal of I frame only out of the signals fed from the picture compression/expansion unit of MPEG system to the second recording/reproducing unit is to be recorded on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit for every time when the arrival count of I frame has reached a predetermined number, thereby making it possible to perform an intermittent recording on the record medium of the second recording/reproducing unit.
In yet another embodiment, the invention is a time lapse recording/reproducing device in accordance with the foregoing embodiments, in which the foregoing recording control unit performs controlling by giving directions that a signal fed from the picture compression/expansion unit is to be recorded on the record medium of the first recording/reproducing unit from the time when the alarm signal is received to the time when the predetermined time reaches one half of the maximum allowable recording time of the first recording/reproducing unit and then the recording operation is to be ended, thereby making it possible to record and maintain moving pictures of the scenes before and after an alarm signal is received on the record medium of the first recording/reproducing unit.
In yet another embodiment, the invention as described is a time lapse recording device in accordance with the foregoing embodiments, in which the foregoing recording control unit performs controlling by giving directions that a signal ted from the picture compression unit is to be recorded on the record medium of the first recording/reproducing unit from the time when the alarm signal is received to the time when the predetermined time reaches one half of the maximum allowable recording time of the first recording/reproducing unit and then the recording operation is to be ended, thereby making it possible to record and maintain moving pictures of the scenes before and after an alarm signal is received on the record medium of the first recording/reproducing unit.